Help Keep Your Pets Healthy This Season with Dog Mosquito Control

We know you love your pets! And we know you love keeping them healthy so that they can play, have fun, and live their best lives. Taking care of mosquito control in your outdoor spaces is just as beneficial for your pets as it is for you, which is why Mosquito Control of Hartford is here to help!

Why Is Mosquito Control So Important for Pet Health?

Pets are susceptible to mosquito-borne illness just like humans are. In fact, mosquitoes are known as “vectors” of disease, meaning they are carriers of dangerous illnesses as a result of their feeding behaviors–sucking the blood of one victim and spreading whatever they contract to the next. Mosquitoes come into contact with hundreds of different hosts, from domesticated pets to wild animals to humans, enabling many viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections to travel from species to species. Dog mosquito control is especially important, as our canine friends must visit the great outdoors regularly to do their business, and it’s our responsibility as pet owners to help protect them against the threat of mosquitoes, ticks, and their various diseases. Be sure to talk to your vet to get advice on the best preventative measures to help protect your pet from mosquitoes, and enlist the professionals at Mosquito Squad to offer additional defense.

Mosquito-Borne Illness in Dogs

Mosquito-borne diseases that can affect dogs and other pets include, but are not limited to, West Nile Virus, heartworms, tapeworms, viral Eastern Equine Encephalitis, and Anaplasmosis.  In many cases, vector-borne disease can be very severe, and sometimes fatal for dogs, particularly those with sneaky symptoms that can go unnoticed for far too long. 

For example, mosquito-borne heartworms can be deposited into a dog’s blood, with larvae developing over the course of 6 months and growing up to 14 inches at adulthood. This parasite can exist inside a dog’s body for 5-7 years, with many canines not showing symptoms until they become quite advanced. This can lead to congestive heart failure and ultimately death. 

A few signs of canine heartworms you should look out for include:

• Difficulty breathing
• Coughing
• Tires easily
• Listlessness
• Weight loss
• Rough hair coat

Though mosquitoes are most commonly to blame for infecting dogs with heartworm parasites, they can also spread viruses like Eastern Equine Encephalitis, sometimes referred to as “sleeping sickness.” As the name suggests, horses are most commonly infected with this disease, but dogs can easily fall victim as well. EEE is a virus that attacks and inflames the brain stem and spinal cord of its host and more often than not, it causes death. 

EEE symptoms can include:

• Fever
• Lack of appetite
• Muscle weakness
• Disorientation
• Blindness
• Seizures
• Paralysis

Last but not least, tularemia, known as “rabbit fever,” can be spread to dogs by a bite from a mosquito that has previously fed on the blood of an infected rodent. Though tularemia more frequently comes from ticks, it can come from mosquitoes as well. While it is relatively uncommon in dogs and can be treated with antibiotics if done in a timely manner, it causes some pretty unpleasant and severe symptoms in our canine friends.

Symptoms of tularemia can include:

• Short periods of poor appetite
• Lethargy
• Mild fever
• Conjunctivitis  
• Abscesses
• Swollen lymph nodes

What Can Mosquito Squad Do to Help?

Let us help defend your pets against mosquito-borne illnesses by treating your yard with professional outdoor pest control. We do recommend consulting with your vet for the best preventative treatment options as well. Happy, healthy pets rely on the freedom to play, potty, and lounge outdoors in the fresh air, and happy, healthy pet owners long for peace of mind as they oblige their pets with as much outdoor time as possible. That’s why Mosquito Squad offers several options for dog mosquito control and empowers customers to choose whichever option is right for the needs of their home and family. 

Mosquito Squad of Hartford, CT, offers two different mosquito control options: our traditional barrier spray and our natural treatment. The sprays can be administered on a recurring schedule throughout the season stretching from before Memorial Day to Labor Day or twice in the week leading up to your special event or outdoor gathering. 

Barrier Spray Treatment

Our traditional barrier spray treatment is a proprietary blend developed in 2005 by Mosquito Squad’s very own professional team. Since then, we have administered this treatment more than 2 million times, creating loyal, satisfied customers across 36 states. The traditional protective blend reduces up to 85-90% of mosquito populations in a given area and helps mitigate pests in the treated area for up to 21 days.

Natural Spray Treatment

The natural barrier spray treatment is a great option for families who prefer to live an organic lifestyle. Mosquito Squad’s natural mosquito control treatment is aromatic, water-based, and essential oil-derived. It contains natural ingredients that may include lemongrass oil, geraniol, castor oil, cedarwood oil, and corn oil, and it is effective at minimizing mosquito populations for up to 21 days following application.

To learn more about dog mosquito control, tick control, and other pest control services in Hartford, CT, get in touch with Mosquito Squad today!